


Fresh Eyes

by Kaatyr



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Audio Format: MP3, Gen, One Shot, Podfic Available, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26745700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaatyr/pseuds/Kaatyr
Summary: Inspired by the Whumptober prompt for day 1.Kurapika wakes up to find himself in a very bad situation.
Kudos: 13
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Fresh Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This story is available in audio form for those who would prefer to listen rather than read. Please note that this is a text to speech recording, which means that there may be some issues with it.
> 
> [Stream or download MP3 from Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VStMhJRY1H16JV4lX51GQObFRdI3cZ6g/view?usp=sharing)

Kurapika opened his eyes to darkness and a brain-splitting headache. He had no idea where he was or what had happened. His surroundings offered few clues. Though he squinted, he couldn’t find even the smallest speck of light.

The air was chill against his bare skin and tasted stale. As the minutes passed, Kurapika realised that his head wasn’t the only part of his body that was hurting. His wrists were aching as well.

Kurapika tried to move them, but found that, while he could move his fingers, something wrapped around his wrists kept them in place. Also, for some reason, his arms were held up in the air. He heard a clinking that sounded like chains. Kurapika felt that he could confidently identify the sound, as he was very familiar with chains.

An unpleasant picture began to build itself in Kurapika’s mind. Someone had hung him by his wrists in a dark, isolated place. A basement, possibly. Anger flooded Kurapika’s veins like hot lava.

Kurapika decided that it was time to try using his nen. It was risky, since he really had no idea if his captor was prepared to deal with that, or how his nen would affect the environment around him. What if his captor had left a trap for him just in case he did manage to break free?

But Kurapika’s nen refused to activate. He had to admit that he’d half-expected that. Anyone smart enough to get the drop on him in the first place would have found a way to neutralise his nen. Without knowing how it was neutralised, there wasn’t much Kurapika could currently do about it.

The sound of a heavy door opening sent a jolt of adrenaline through Kurapika’s body. Unfortunately, that didn’t do him any good. Kurapika felt impotent, which fuelled his anger at the situation. There was a click, and a florescent bar of light flickered into life above him, settling into a low buzz.

It took Kurapika a moment to identify the man standing just inside the doorway. Of all the people Kurapika had expected to see, this man hadn’t been on the list.

It seemed that he’d seriously underestimated Light Nostrade.

Kurapika’s former boss looked at him like he was just a piece of lawn furniture. Behind him, another man appeared. He studied Kurapika with more interest than Nostrade, who just looked bored.

“All I want is the eyes,” Nostrade said. His voice echoed in the small space. “I don’t care what you do with the rest of him.”

Kurapika tried to speak, but he couldn’t manage more than a croak. His throat was too dry to form words. Before he could raise an objection, or try to bargain or negotiate for his freedom, Nostrade was gone.

Leaving Kurapika alone with the stranger who had been tasked with removing his eyes. It seemed that Nostrade had found a way to recoup his losses at the Yorknew auction—by obtaining a fresh pair of scarlet eyes.


End file.
